A new and almost entirely worthless controversy involves Barack Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina tweeting a comment about chimichangas. No, really. But, it's not entirely worthless: I'll tell you below some of the things you won't hear from either side.

In case you haven't been following along, see [1] for a recap. Some notes:

1. There's nothing offensive about Milbank's comment or Messina's tweet of it that I can see. Neither are claiming that Hispanics are just about chimichangas, in fact both are claiming the opposite. Both are saying that Hispanics are about more than chimichangas, but that chimichangas are all the GOP has to offer.

2. The RNC is outraged by Messina's tweet, but the leader of the charge is the Hispanic Leadership Network, which is part of the American Action Network. The first supports illegal immigration, and the second is led by supporters of massive and illegal immigration. Do see the links for background on who's involved. That should be the issue here, but instead we're discussing a food item.

Here's what the Hispanic Leadership Network says (and with a straight face too):

"The fact that the campaign manager of President Obama’s reelection campaign thinks it’s appropriate to disseminate insulting jokes about the Hispanic community is a perfect example of the kind of empty rhetoric that characterizes this White House’s so-called outreach to Latinos. We demand that Mr. Messina immediately apologize and we ask that President Obama disavow his campaign manager’s ridiculous statement. Liberals are always trying to put Hispanics in a box. In typical fashion, when liberals cannot speak substantively to the top issues facing our community, they resort to name calling... The facts remain the same, and they are no laughing matter. President Obama broke his campaign promises to the Hispanic community on jobs and immigration. Our community is suffering from over 11% unemployment rate. In addition, President Obama has deported more immigrants than any other U.S. president in history. When confronted with his record, this President has no standing with Hispanic voters across our country."

Both the Democrats and the GOP "put Hispanics in a box", the box the GOP has is just smaller.

And, the HLN is on the wrong side of immigration and jobs and immigration in general. If their goal weren't obtaining race-based power, they'd support what little immigration enforcement Obama has done (see Obama immigration). Instead, they agree with many on the left who oppose immigration enforcement and who live in a fantasy world where illegal aliens don't take jobs that Americans could be doing.

3. Milbank's column includes this:

The party's presidential candidates have done long-term damage by vowing opposition to the DREAM Act (legalization for illegal immigrants who serve in the armed forces) and by trying to paint each other as too soft on immigration (highlighted by Herman Cain’s call for a lethal electric fence). (Marco Rubio) and Jeb Bush have called for an end to what Rubio called “harsh and intolerable” rhetoric.

The DREAM Act is an openly anti-American bill that would let the former illegal aliens covered by it deprive some citizens of college; see the link. If the GOP were smart, they could discredit anyone who supports that anti-American bill, from Barack Obama and Dick Durbin on down. Instead, GOP candidates act like Sharron Angle and offer only weak opposition. Mitt Romney's opposition isn't that strong, and Newt Gingrich's opposition is even weaker. (Note also that Milbank might be intentionally misleading about the bill: illegal aliens can only serve in the U.S. military during time of declared war; under the DREAM Act they'd get provisional legalization while serving. They can also get that provisional legalization by attending college. See the first link in this paragraph for the details).

4. None that I can see are pointing out that chimichangas are a Mexican/Mexican-American dish, while Milbank's column discussed someone from Cuba. That aspect isn't "insensitive", it just indicates a lack of awareness: one very trivial data point illustrating how out of touch the mainstream media are on immigration-related issues.

5. The outrage (real or fake) over this puts the GOP in the position of acting just like the Democrats when it comes to political correctness. The GOP isn't smart enough and/or doesn't have the integrity to realize that they need to fight political correctness, not further it.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) spoke about the wonders of his state. “The lettuce in your salad this month almost certainly came from Arizona,” McCain said. “It’s also believed that the chimichanga has its origin in Arizona.”

The chimichanga? It may be the only thing Republicans have left to offer Latinos.